Clarifying system for cleaning fluids



Jan. 1927. 1$13,135

. W. L. S CHERER v CLARIFYING SYSTEM FOR CLEANING FLUIDS,

Filed Dec. 6, 1924 H Sheets-Shemv l yap W A. Scierer 61m: 11 mg Jan. 4,1927.. i,6l3,'135

w. L. SCHERER GLARIF'YING SYSTEM FOR CLEANING FLUIDS Filed Dec. 6. 19242 Sheets-Sheet 2 w v Xi I a I Z 1 3140214 601 2% x \L M45ewer PatentedJan. 4,1927.

UNITED STATES- i n'nsi PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER L. sommnn, 01' DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF 'ro CLARENCE3.

- PBESSLEY, or roar women, TEXAS.

GLARIFYING SYSTEM FOR CLEANING FLUIDS.

Application men December e, 1924. serial No. 754,425. x

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in clarifyingsystems for .cleaning fluids.

In dry cleaning and similar plants, it is customary to use gasoline andkindred detergent liquids to cleanse the articles. It is customary topump the gasoline from underground storage tanks into the cleaningmachine and then drain it back into the tank, more or less effort beingmade to filter or clean the returned gasoline. Gasoline when purchasedby the cleaner contains both water and dirt. The usual practice is touse the gasoline for a period and then discard it. The object of myinvention is to provide a system in which the gasoline is clarifiedbefore it leavesthe tank, so that clear and sweet gasoline will besupplied to the cleaning-machine; and also to again clarify the 29gasoline after it leaves the machine and before it is returned to thetank.

Other features of the invention are a filter; a sediment trap in thereturn line, and eflicient cleanout lines.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed together withother features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing speci- 30 fication and by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical view, of the system,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of one of the auxiliary tanks,

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 33 of Fig.2, I V

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the filter, and

. Fig. 6 is a crosssectionalview taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

In the drawings the numeral 10designates an underground storage tankhaving a fillf ing pipe 11 and vent 12. A suction pipe 13 leadsfrom thetank 10 and is connected to a manifold 14. This pipe includes a cut-off50 valve 15. The manifold is connected with a'pump suction pipe'16leading down to a centrifugal pump 17. A discharge pipe 18 leads fromthe pump. A cut-off valve 19 is included in the pipe 16 and a blow-ofi'pipe 20 including a cut-off valve 21, leads from the pipe 18 adjacentthe pump.

A suitable cleaning machine 22 is providd, the system being usable withany kind of machine, and a filter 23 is mounted over the machine. Adischarge pipe 24 leads from the upper end of the top of the cleaningmachine. A screen 25 is fastened transversely across the filter justbelow the pipe 24 and cotton waste or other filtering material 26 isconfined below the screen. The pump discharge pipe 18 enters the bottomof the filterandthe gasoline must .passup through filtering material.

A return pipe 27 leads from the bottom of the machine to the top of asuitable trap 28.

A gooseneck pipe 29 leads from the bottom of the trap up to adistributing pipe 30. The pipe 30 connects with a down pipe 31 extendingdown into a cone-bottom auxiliary tank 32. The pipe 31 has a four-waynozzle 33 at its lower end confined under a conical screen 34. Anoverflow by-pass pipe 35 leads from the top of the tank 31 and isconnected with a down pipe 36 in a second auxiliary tank 37. The pipe 36also has a four- .way nozzle 38 confined below a conical screen 39. Inthe bottom of the tank 32 a solution of five pounds of commercial alkalito fifteen gallons of water is maintained to a level above the screen34; while in the tank I 37 clear. water is maintained to the same level.A cleanout pipe 40 has its lower end bent and inserted through thescreen 34 and extends from the tank 32 to the manifold 14.

.This pipe includes a valve 41. A similar pipe 42 including a valve 43extends from the tank 37.

In operating the system all valves are closed and the pump 17 isstarted. Then the valves 15 and 19 are opened whereby gasoline is drawnfrom the tank 10 through pipe 13, manifold 14 and pipe 16. This"gasoline isdischarged from the pump through line 18 to the filter 23,where it passes up through the filtering material 26 and screen 25 andis thus clarified. -The clean, sweet gasoline overflows from the filterthroughthe pipe 24 to the machine 22. After the cleaning is completedthe gasoline is dirty and discolored and is conducted by the return pipe27 to the trap 28. Here the muck and heavy dirt particles are caught,while the liquid passes through pipes 30 nozzle 33 in the tank 32. Thedirty and 31 and is discharged in jets from the asoline being dischargedin the tank 32 below the screen 34 will agitate the solution therein.The screen will tend to check the agitation and prevent the escape ofbits of material and foreign matter into the tank above the solution.

The gasoline being an oil will rise through the solution, but in sodoing will be clarified. The accumulated gasoline will overflow into thetank 37 by the pipes 35 and 36. In the tank 37 the gasoline will bethoroughly washed and the clarification completed. When it is desired tosupply to the machine 22. again, the valve 15 is closed and a valve 44in a pipe 45 is opened. The pipe 45 draws the clarified gasoline fromthe tank 37 to the manifold 14 from which it is conducted by the pipe16.

When it is desired to clean out the tanks 32 and 37 the valves 41 and 43are opened so that the water, clarifying solution and dirt may be suckedup through the pipes 40 and 42 to the manifold 14 by the pump 17 anddischarged from pipe 20 by open ing the valve 21, the pipe 16 conductingthe liquid from the manifold to the pump. I also provide for attaching asteam line 46 to the end of the manifold and control the same by a valve47. Byproperly handling the valves steam may be introduced through thepipes 40 and 42 to clean out the tanks 32 and 37; after which the steamis cut ofi and the same pipes used to remove the dislodged matter.

Various changes in the size and shape of i the difierent parts, as wellas modifications and alterations may be made within the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim, is:

1. In a detergent liquid clarifying system, a cleaning machine,a'storage tank, a connection between said tank and machine, means insaid connection for forcing liquid from the storage tank to the machine,an

- auxiliary washing tank having a screen at its lower portion, adischarge connection extending from the machine to the washing tankbeneath said screen, a return connection from the upper portion of saidwashing tank to the liquid forcing means deliver-- ing to the machine,and means for removing material from beneath the screened portion of thewashing tank.

2. In a detergent liquid clarifying system, a cleaning machine, astorage tank, a connection between said storage tank andcleaning-machine, means in said connection for forcing fluid from saidtank to said machine, a pair of auxiliary washing tanks, a pipe leadingfrom the cleaning machine to the lower portion of one of said auxiliarytanks, a pipe connection from the upper portion of the last mentionedtank to the lower portion of the other washing tank, a pipe extendingfrom the upper portion of the second washing tank tothe fluid forcingmeans, and means for removing collected material from the base of saidwashing tanks.

3. In a detergent liquid clarifying system, a cleaning machine, astorage tank, a connection between said storage tank and said cleaningmachine, a pump in said connection, first and second auxiliary washingtanks, a pipe connecting said cleaning machine with said first auxiliarytank, a pipe establishing communication between the upper portion of onewashing tank and the lower portion of the other washing tank, a pipefrom the latter tank delivering to the machine, and pipes leading fromthe lower portion .of both of said tanks and connected with said pump.

4. In a detergent liquid clarifying system, a cleaning machine, astorage tank, a communication between said storage tank and saidcleaning machine, a pump in said communication, first and-secondauxiliary washing tanks connected to each other, a pipe connecting saidcleaning machine with the first of said tanks, pipes connecting both ofsaid auxiliary tanks with said pump, and an"additional pipe establishingcommunication between the second of said auxiliary tanks and said pumpto deliver to said machine.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WALTER L. SCI-IERER.

